Flickr improves capture and editing tools in latest iOS app update

Yahoo has released a hefty update to its Flickr app for iOS. Improved capture and editing tools make it easier for mobile photographers customize their shots.

Not yet available for other platforms, the latest update for Flickr's iOS app is packed with features usually reserved for dedicated (and paid) capture and editing applications.

Flickr now allows users to lock separate focus and exposure points on the capture screen with a two finger tap. In addition, users can view the filters live in the viewfinder.

When you are ready to edit, you can customize the exposure using the new Levels adjustment, correct color balance, sharpen, brighten, crop, straighten, or even add vignetting to your image.

Flickr has also improved the overall "feel" of the app. The animations are a little different and the overall flow seems fresher and more refined.

Flickr's new filters can be viewed live in the viewfinder or applied after the shot is captured.

Among the new editing tools, there is a Levels adjustment slider for detailed exposure correction.

The update further confirms Yahoo's commitment to make its photo sharing social network "awesome again" — a promise that it made in 2012 after a web campaign went viral. The changes bring Flickr closer to becoming a one-stop app — letting photographers capture, edit and share photos all in the same place.

Really nice improvements, especially the ability to use exposure compensation on the android side. I normally use PS touch for iphone pics before uploading them to flickr/ FB but I am tempted to use flickr end to end next time.

In terms of the yahoo's business model it makes complete sense for them to focus on the smartphone usage. They make money through advertising and more eyeballs equates to more revenue for them. If you look at the alexa rankings for flickr, pbase, 500px and smugmug you will see which sites get more eyeballs. The ones for serious photographers are in 3 - 4 digits where as flickr is in double digits. If a serious photosite has to remain relevant they need generate revenue and the only way to do so is either get paid advertising or get users to pay a significant amount. If they do not generate significant revenue they will go down the pbase way, 10 years ago they were really hot now hardly anyone goes there.

Curious to know if this app does anything better than iOS functions for both camera and editing. One thing I have always despised about iOS and my iPads is the painfully complex and convoluted iTunes sync via iPhoto albums to get photos on and off my iPad . Camera roll and iCloud are not the answer. If this Flkr update can bypass this mess, it is reason enough

Well at least Flickr and I agree on one thing: I am clearly not their priority, shooting with, like, DSLRs and uploading from my PC. How dare I be so centered on high quality photos?But Flickr is equally clearly not my priority. I'll find somewhere else to stick my photos. 500px and/or G+ most likely.

Flickr? Yawn. I wish you luck to make the money-machine work for them.I might be totally off mainstream here, but I've moved on.Flickr was my choice until they put a finger in my behind.I didn't like it, so I moved on.Flickr is an R.I.P. to me.

Dear idiot, err, I mean Marvol, Canon does not make iphones, so since never. ...and with continued features like this and companies innovating camera features that the camera companies don't have, it becomes increasingly dificult for the big camera companies to compete in the biggest camera market out there, thus leading to lower revenue and less money made ...thus my comment.

This is great! Camera makers should learn from smartphone app developers on how to design their camera GUI interface around touch screen LCD. This applies to current touch-screen enabled DSLRs/Mirrorless cameras like Canon Rebel series or Sony NEX-5 series. Even better if camera makers would create some APIs for third party app development. Just imagine the possibilities: numerous controls for timelapse, astrophotography, highly customizable HDR, etc.

I wish iOS provided lower-level access to the camera than it does. The reason why almost every camera app is a two-fingered tap is because exposure works by spot-meter with the regular camera and no other way. Apps that separate focus from exposure are really just doing two spot-meter/focus points instead of actually adjusting the exposure up and down as we know it.